An Ocean of Mysteries
by myshipsaresunk
Summary: Annabeth has lived her whole life in the small, ocean-side town Coral Reef. Nothing special ever happens there, at least not until she discovers a hidden beach. She only plans to study at the beach, but when she begins to catch sight of a mysterious black-haired, green-eyed boy her life begins to change drastically as he shows her things she's never seen before.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: This is my first multi-chapter PJ fanfic in a while, so be kind, please :) This story will be in Annabeth's POV, and will, of course, be Percabeth :) Updates every Sunday, I hope. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Annabeth closes her biology book with a sigh, shoving it away from her. Usually she loves to learn, but today the words are just swimming around uselessly, not making any sense. The more she reads it the more fried her brain becomes, and she really needs a change of scenery.

Her house is a pretty cozy place; antique war mementos line every available shelf space (courtesy of her father's World War I and World War II obsession) and countless books from countless genres and time periods lie in stacked piles in every corner. A stone fireplace sits in the center of the room, ashes swirling in it from the previous year's winter (it's more for decoration than use, but the winter temperatures had dipped a dozen degrees below freezing point, so her mom had cheerfully started a fire). Worn leather couches surround the fireplace, facing towards the large, flat-screen TV above it. A coffee table with a small vase of flowers sits in the middle, the bright orange and red flowers adding colour to the brown and green room.

Still, on this day she is ready for a change of scenery. Annabeth heads out to her garage and digs out her bike, a bag of books slung over her shoulder. She's not sure where she's going to go, but she needs to get out.

Her phone in her pocket rings before she can get her feet on the peddle, and seeing that her friend Hazel Levesque is the one trying to reach her, she answers.

"Hey, Annabeth," the girl says. "Are you busy right now?"

"No," Annabeth replies. "Why?"

"There's an old jewelry auction in the town over, and I was wondering if you could cover my shift at the shop today."

Annabeth smiles faintly to herself. Hazel has three loves in the world: art, animals, and jewelry. "Not a problem, Hazel. I'll be right over."

"Thanks. I owe you a million."

Annabeth hangs up and slides her phone into her pocket again before pumping her bike. The shop that she and Hazel work at is across town, but considering how small their town is, it should only take about fifteen minutes to get there.

They live in a small town on the east coast of the US in North Carolina. Most of the other beach residences along the ocean are crowded and full of vacationers, but not them. Their town is called Coral Reef, and that's exactly why they don't get very many visitors—the beach is rocky instead of sandy, and there's so many reefs that it's painful to swim in the ocean. The only visitors they get are Marine Biologists or other ocean scientists. In fact, there's a whole section of beach tied off just for the local scientists to study.

The town does have a tourism draw, though; in order to get to Myrtle Beach—one of the most famous beaches in the world—from the north, you have to drive through Coral Reef. The town has a large gas station with a restaurant attached to the side—Ocean Side Diner. It's more of a burger, fries, and shake place than a restaurant, but it's a pretty popular place for the town teens and the passing through tourists to stop at. On the weekends Annabeth and her friends often hang out there, watching the visitors passing through and gossiping about school.

Annabeth hops off her bike in the back parking lot of the shop. It lies right across from the famous gas station on the one strip of road in the town that actually gets traveled on by motor vehicles. Because the town is so small most people bike everywhere, and rarely do you see a family that has more than one car. All the roads in Coral Reef have bike lanes and sidewalks alongside them, but you can basically use the road to bike on since barely anyone drives. Elderly people often have golf carts that they use the road for.

Like any beach town, there are palm trees and sand everywhere (except the beach, that is). The ocean water that lies just past the Ocean Side Diner gleams a beautiful turquoise colour, and seagulls fly around everywhere (and poop everywhere). The air is muggy but not too hot, and a cool, salty-smelling breeze is constantly rippling through the town, creating an almost perfect atmosphere.

All that beauty disappears as soon as she steps into the shop, however. She's greeted with the sound of chirping birds, mewling kittens, barking dogs, hamster wheels turning, and the gorgeous smell of animal poop.

"Hey, Annabeth," Silena greets her as she enters. Silena is a beautiful young woman who is studying at the college in the next town over. Her fiancé, Beckendorf, is the town mechanic. Even though he's only a sophomore in college he's the best the town has ever had, with maybe the exception of his younger half-brother, Leo.

Why Silena is working in a dump like this, Annabeth has no idea. Maybe it's because she has a way with both people and animals, her words soft-spoken but meaningful, her voice gentle and caring. Not to mention how she seems to be good at taking messy things and sorting them out into nice, neat messes.

"Hey," Annabeth replies. "I'm taking Hazel's shift today."

"Is she alright?" Silena asks, pulling up her long, thick black hair into a ponytail.

"Yeah, she just went to an auction in the other town." Annabeth pulls on a logo apron, _Coral Reef Pets_ embroidered on it with red lettering. She immediately signs into to the log book before heading off to feed the animals.

"How're your studies going?" Silena inquires, emptying out the cash register of all the large bills.

"Not bad. Still keeping up my four-point, though biology is frying my brain today. I need to find somewhere to study it, somewhere nice with no distractions. Doesn't help that my teacher is completely incompetent." Annabeth changes the filters on the fish tanks as she speaks.

"Mrs. Dodds is your teacher?" Annabeth nods, and Silena smiles. "I remember her. She's like ninety but still wears leather jackets and skinny jeans, like she's right out of Grease or something. Don't worry, I bet you'll do fine."

Annabeth laughs a little at the allusion, trying to imagine Mrs. Dodds smoking and drinking behind the school football field. "I hope so, too."

Silena is silent for a few minutes as the two work, then she frowns. "Charlie said he went exploring the other day, and he found a hidden beach. It's surrounded by the forest, but if you go to the dead end of Lincoln street you might be able to find a path to it."

"A hidden beach?" Annabeth questions.

"Yeah. Apparently it actually has sand, which is a first for around here, and the coral reefs aren't as expansive as the rest of the place. If you want a quiet place to study you should check it out."

"Why don't more people go there?" A hidden beach. Sounds too good to be true, especially in this little town that Annabeth has lived in her whole life.

"There's a legend," Silena replies. "Something about this old hermit that guards the place. He only lets in certain people who are 'worthy' or whatever. Probably isn't anything meaningful, though. Just a myth to scare the locals and tourists out. Between you and me, I think it's safe, considering Charlie is perfectly fine."

"Or maybe he's just worthy," Annabeth suggests in a teasing tone. Silena laughs, then heads to the back of the shop.

At five they begin to close down the shop, cleaning out the pet cages for the night and mopping the floor. Silena wipes the counter while Annabeth logs them out, and the two of them lock the shop behind them. "You have a shift tomorrow?" Silena asks.

"No," Annabeth answers. "I have the week off. Finals are coming up, so I need to study. Plus I now have to go check out that hidden beach of yours."

"Have fun, and good luck on the finals," Silena offers, and Annabeth mounts her bike to go home.

Both of her parents are already home by the time she makes it there. Annabeth washes up and changes, then they sit down to eat dinner together. Her mom talks animatedly about her next building project—her mom is an architect, just like what Annabeth wants to be someday—and her dad talks about the new World War II exhibit in the museum. Both of them work in the next town over, leaving Annabeth most of the day to herself.

"How was your day like?" her dad asks. Annabeth brightens up a little.

"After school I took over Hazel's shift at the shop, and while I was there I talked with Silena. She mentioned a cool place to study, so I'm going to check that out tomorrow."

"Biology still troubling you?" her mom questions. Annabeth nods.

"Ah, she'll do well," her dad assures them. "She always does."

Later that night as Annabeth does the dishes she can't help but smile, her father's words echoing in her mind. She knows her parents will always be there to support her, and she's so happy for it.

Some of her friends, like Hazel, Piper, and Reyna, don't have such good parents. Reyna actually lives on her own, Hazel lives with her brother, and Piper's dad is always busy with work. But Annabeth's parents love and support her no matter what.

She's the luckiest girl in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: This is a shorter chapter, but I hope you still enjoy it. The next one will be longer, I promise :)

Chapter 2

School drags on seemingly forever the next day. Annabeth loves school, especially her business management class and her modular technology class (in which she's competing with her friend to see who can make the sturdiest and coolest looking bridge out of toothpicks). Today, though, she's unfocused and edging, just wanting to go explore her beach.

"Are you okay, Annabeth?" Piper asks at lunch, stealing fries from Annabeth's tray. "The school year is almost over, you know. Only two weeks left."

"I just want it to be over," Annabeth sighs, pushing her peas around with a plastic fork. Two weeks seems like an infinity. A long, miserable infinity. "I have plans for after school, but the day seems longer than ever."

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Piper teases, and Annabeth playfully punches her on the shoulder. Piper should know better by now, if Annabeth's dating past is any consolation.

"The better question is if you really have to bother to ask. You know smart girls don't get guys. Well, with you exception of you. Thalia's brother is totally crushing on you."

Piper's cheeks turn red. "Jason?"

Annabeth laughs, and for the moment her impatientness is forgotten. "Ooh, you like him."

"Well, I mean, he is kinda cute…" Piper sighs happily, twisting one of her choppy braids around her finger. "Fine, you win this time. But I'm going to find you a boyfriend by the end of summer."

"I don't have time for boyfriends," Annabeth replies. "I have two weeks and a year left, then I go to college. Maybe after I graduate I'll find someone." Probably not. Not after her last dating disaster.

Piper lays a hand on her shoulder. "Honey, I hate to break it to you, but love doesn't work that way. You don't choose when you fall for someone. You take a leap, and you hope they return their feelings."

Annabeth doesn't want to think about that. She can control her feelings. All the guys at her school are either just friends or completely disgusting, and she knows she doesn't have to worry about falling for any of them. And it's not like there's any other guys here in Coral Reef. So maybe she crushes on the occasional tourist guy, but they're always gone within forty-eight hours max.

No boys, no problem. Annabeth has this all under wraps. No boyfriends, no drama. No drama, good grades. Good grades, good college. Good college, good job. Good job, good money. Good money, good life. Good life, happiness. No boys needed.

"Thanks, but there's no one for me to fall for here. I'm completely safe from that particular disease," Annabeth says jokingly. "But just in case it is contagious, please don't cough on me."

Piper falls into a fake coughing fit, making sure to get lots of germs all over Annabeth, of course (what else is your best friend supposed to do?) and Annabeth remembers how lucky she is once again. Who needs boys when you have great friends?  
-

Annabeth barely has time to toss her notebooks and textbooks into her shoulder bag, along with a water bottle and some snacks before she bikes up to Lincoln street. She reaches the dead end, hops off, and walks her bike through the treeline. After about five minutes of searching she finds a slightly trampled path (most likely Beckendorf) and she follows it until the familiar smell of salt water and sea breeze reaches her. She inhales deeply, her mind clearing instantly, and she forges ahead.

The beach is all that Silena promised, and better. It's like its own little paradise. About fifty yards long is the sandy beach before disappearing into the treeline again, and there are rocky cliffs rising out of the water not too far away to her left. Ahead there's a small island about one hundred yards into the sea. It's covered in trees and probably poison ivy.

The water is sparkling clear with before hues of blue and turquoise and green. The sun is bright and high overhead, though the sand isn't too hot to lay on.

Annabeth lays on the white sand, her books and notes spread out around her. She breathes in the smell of the ocean as she works, and biology makes sense to her for once. This place perfect, and Annabeth wishes she had discovered it years before.

The hours go by in perfect harmony, her eyes glued to the textbooks, her highlighters making rainbows of her notes. She's so immersed in her work that she almost doesn't notice her phone go off.

"Hey," she answers.

"Annabeth! Do you know how late it is?" her mother replies in that strict tone she always uses when Annabeth is in trouble.

"Um…"

"It's past five! Dinner's almost ready, and if you're not home in time…" The threat is unspoken but understood. Annabeth instantly sets to packing up her things, throwing them in her bag haphazardly.

"I'll be home in ten minutes," she states before hanging up. She slings her bag over her shoulder and picks up her bike, glancing back one more time. She squints, seeing something dark hanging off the cliffs. A person, maybe?

There's no time for seeing who it is, though. Annabeth is already in trouble, even without chasing down possible strangers past dinnertime.

The ride home on her bike is almost melancholy. The new beach seems to already be a part of her, even though she's only spent about two hours there. She knows deep down that she'll return to her new sanctuary, every single day until she can no longer.

For now, though, she'll have to be content with the time she's spent today. And maybe tomorrow she can figure out who the stranger climbing the cliffs was—if it was even a person.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: I'm updating this a day early, since tomorrow I'm leaving for band camp. I'll be back in time for next week's update, though! And thank you for your kind reviews; I love writing for this fandom simply because of how generous you guys are. Anyways, enjoy this chapter :)

Chapter 3

The next day is scorching hot. Literally, every single thing Annabeth touches burns her. At school she can't sit at any desks near the open windows, and since the school air conditioning conveniently broke down, everyone is sent home after lunch.

Annabeth drinks a glass of water that's half-ice and turns up the AC to high in each room of her house. She also puts a fan in front of her and tries to study, thankful for the extra day, but she just can't concentrate, even if the heat isn't frying her brain anymore. She just has to go to the beach.

She puts on her bikini, adding a cut-off shirt and short shorts before grabbing her books, a battery powered fan, and a blanket before heading out. The moment she steps outside she almost changes her mind, but instead just ties up her hair into a bun on top of her head and bikes out.

The shade of the forest is so pleasant. She hikes through it, but when she gets to the beach she can't even walk on the sand because it is so hot from the sun. Her weather app on her phone says it's one hundred and five degrees, though it feels hotter due to the humidity and lack of wind. Normally there's plenty of wind coming off the ocean, but not today.

A thick sheen of sweat sprouts up on her face within minutes, but she ignores it, laying out a blanket in the small section of the beach that's shady due to the looming treeline. She lays on it, turns on her fan, and pulls out her textbooks.

The sound of the waves is alluring, so after an hour she takes off her cut-off shirt and shorts and sprints across the sand to avoid burning her feet, then dives into the water. It's cool and refreshing, and she doesn't even mind the salty taste in her mouth. She stays underwater as long as she can, and when she resurfaces the sun's heat immediately drives her back under the waves.

She finally comes up, smoothing strands of her hair back and wiping the water out of her eyes. She looks over to the cliffs, remembering the strange figure climbing up them yesterday. She doubts they'll be there today; if the sand is burning her feet then the hard rock would definitely burn them way worse. It'd be a health hazard.

Her eyes widen in shock, however, when she sees a person scampering up the rock face. No climbing gear, no protective gear—and wearing only swim trunks! (So it is a guy, if the shirtlessness and back muscles are any clue).

The mop of black hair doesn't even answer her shouts. Whoever he is, he doesn't seem to be affected by the heat, and simply continues to climb before disappearing into a dark space. Annabeth shakes her head, wondering who that person could possibly be.

It doesn't matter for today, however; he's gone, and she's not stupid enough to try and follow him up. When it's not so hot, yeah, she'll definitely find out who he is, but today is his lucky day. Or unlucky, if he actually did get burned and just ignored it.

Annabeth tries to forget about him and instead dives back into the water, opening her eyes underwater and watching the colorful fish swim around the colorful coral. She has to swim pretty far out and down to see the coral, so she comes up for air only a minute later. Her eyes are also burning from the salt, so she calls it a day and rides the waves back in to the beach, where she returns to her studies.

Around four she finally gets tired of the relentless heat and she puts her clothes back on, packs up her things, and bikes back home. No one is outside, and when she exits the shade of the forest she understands why; the heat is driving her crazy, giving her an almost instant headache. She has a sudden and unquenchable thirst, and it's all she can do to make it back home.

Once inside the amazingly cool house—seriously, it's like the ice age inside, and she's not complaining—she downs a whole water bottle without a second thought. Then another one, and finally she steps into the cold shower, washing the salt and sweat from her body.

She can't stop thinking about the guy on the cliffs. She's worrying about him; what if he's seriously burned from the climbing? What if he fell from the cliffs after she left? What if he needs help and she's not there?

And more pressing, who is he? How did he find out about the beach? And why doesn't she recognize him? She knows everyone in Coral Reef, but not him. No one fits his description (or what she considers a description of him. She only knows his body shape and hair colour).

Annabeth changes into a tank top and athletic shorts, then heads over to the pet store to work her shift. Hazel should be working today with her, so at least she'll have a friend there.

The pet store has the closed sign out, and when she steps through the unlocked back door the whole store is in disarray. Hazel and another guy are moving things around and clearing out the back room entirely.

"What's going on?" Annabeth asks, stepping over a few boxed birdcages.

"Apollo finally received his veterinary degree!" Hazel gushes, unloading extra dog food bags and dumping it on the register counter. "He's converting the back storage rooms into surgery rooms."

Apollo is Will's dad. Will Solace is a guy who graduated from Coral Reef High a few years ago and went straight to med school, and who volunteers all summer in the doctor's office at Coral Reef (yeah, that's right—the town is so small they don't even have a hospital). Will is a registered nurse and is working towards his doctor's degree. It runs in the family—his father is the main doctor at the doctor's office, though Apollo had been taking online classes and occasionally going out to shadow other veterinarians. The demand has been big in the town recently, and it seems it is finally coming to light.

"That's great!" Annabeth replies. "I take it you guys are just starting to clean out the storage rooms now."

Hazel nods. "We started a few hours ago. We're almost done getting everything out, though we still have to clean it all up, and some builders are coming to take measurements so they can start putting in drywall and the likes."

"And where are we taking all these things?" Annabeth questions, poking a pack of dog collars with her toe.

"Silena is ordering sheds. We'll actually have to go outside now," Hazel says, wrinkling her nose. Annabeth smiles, then proceeds to help. Once they've moved everything out they sweep, and Apollo announces that they've done enough for the day.

"It's insanely hot out," he remarks, "just like me." He winks at the girls, and they roll their eyes at him (even though he is really attractive, especially for a man who has to be, like forty something. He only looks in his early thirties, though, which is so not fair).

"And the air conditioning in here is really bad," he continues. "Sign out on the log as doing your whole shift, but feel free to leave early. God knows I am."

They do, and Annabeth is grateful to go home early. The heat has given her a huge migraine, not to mention has worn her out. She already wants to go to sleep and it can't be more than six o'clock in the evening.

Once she gets home she eats a light dinner with her parents before crashing in bed, utterly exhausted. The AC feels great, and if it weren't for those stupid reoccurring thoughts of that guy on the cliffs she'd be in heaven. Why does she keep thinking about him? She hasn't even met him. She doesn't even know what his face looks like.

Tomorrow, she promises herself. Tomorrow she'd figure it out. As long as it isn't this hot outside.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: Hope you enjoy this chapter :) We finally meet Percy!

Chapter 4

The temperature drops a good ten degrees, so while it's still insanely hot, it's at least bearable. Annabeth has the day off from school again since the air conditioning is still malfunctioning, so she heads out after lunch to go find out who the mystery person at the beach is.

She wears a swimsuit under a tank top and athletic shorts, puts a few supplies in a water-proof backpack, then begins the bike over to the hidden beach. After dragging her bike through the forest segment she pulls her hair up and begins walking across the sand with only her backpack to the cliffs.

As she gets closer she doesn't see the strange guy, but she decides to climb up and explore. Annabeth didn't bring rope, but as worn away as the cliff face is she decides to just free climb it. There's water underneath the cliffs that can catch her if she falls, so she shouldn't die if she makes a mistake and drops. Besides, she is in good shape and is pretty strong (she can thank her mom for her athletics).

Annabeth drops her backpack on the sand and swims over to where the cliffs arise from the water. She doesn't bother to take off her shorts or tank top; the sun is hot enough that they should dry soon enough.

She pulls herself out of the water by gripping holes on the side of the cliff with her hands tightly and slowly climbs up. There's a time when she grabs hold of the hole and it crumbles away, but she quickly swings over and pulls herself up on another one.

She scales the cliff about halfway up in decent time. There's an alcove a few feet ahead, and she's pretty sure that's the one she's seen the boy disappear in. She struggles for a few minutes on how to get onto the ledge, but soon she swings her limber legs up and over, her hands letting go of the cliff and grabbing new hand holds with a lightning fast reflex.

Annabeth stands and looks back over where she's climbed. She guesses she's about twenty feet up, maybe closer to thirty. She can see the whole of the beach from here, and it's a lovely view. Clear, crystal blue water laps gently against the beach and white sand lies in small bumps across the water under it disappears into the tree line. The trees are dark green and brown, and they cast cool shadowy shapes across the sand.

Then she turns and peers into the alcove. It's high enough for her to duck down and step through, but after a few seconds of walking in near darkness the ceiling opens up and an amazing sight almost takes her breath away.

There's a large hole that extends to the sky right in the middle of the large cave room, and it casts light through the entire area. Also in the middle in a hole through a small river stream empties down into. The stream of water comes from somewhere off to the right. Around the hole in the middle is a lot of space of rock, but it's not like those dirty caves you always see in movies. It's light and spacious, and it's all cleaned out. There are some blankets spread out on the side opposite the small water stream and other personal items, even including a lamp, some food, and a few comic books. It's almost like a little dwelling place, and it's so nice Annabeth doesn't want to disturb it. She wonders if this is where the strange boy lives, but then decides that it is at most a hang-out place. No one actually lives in caves.

There a few pictures hung up on the side of the cliff wall by the blankets, and Annabeth walks over to look at them. There's a woman with brown hair and warm eyes, and she's smiling sweetly at the camera, a blue birthday cake with six candles in her hand and a little black-haired boy at her side. He's staring at the cake with excitement.

Another picture shows a red-headed, extremely skinny and covered-in-acne boy with the black-haired boy, who's now older. He looks about twelve, and the two are laughing about some inside joke.

There's a picture with the black-haired boy and a red-headed girl. The girl has some gold paint flecks on her face and in her curly hair, and they're laughing together, sitting on the edge of a car by the beach. Annabeth wonders if it's an old girlfriend.

The last picture makes Annabeth feel intrusive. There's the woman with brown hair, though this time she's in her early twenties. A man has his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her from behind tightly. He looks like an older version of the black-haired boy, with matching black hair and tan skin. The two look so happy together, and Annabeth knows they must be his parents.

There's a noise at the front of the tunnel, and Annabeth realises the boy must be back. She looks around somewhere to frantically hide, then decides she might as well face him head on. No time like the present, right?

She steps forward away from his personal belongings and starts walking towards the front of the tunnel, her heart racing fast and her nerves high. She really didn't think this through. What is she going to say? What is she going to do?

The boy comes through, sees her, and his eyes grow wide. He looks…scared, like a deer in the headlights. Annabeth feels bad, realising how bad this must look from his perspective. First she came and stole his secret beach, then she entered what might be his home without his permission and when he had been gone.

She puts her hands out. "I'm—I'm sorry."

At the sound of her voice the boy turns and runs. She follows, knowing she might lose her only chance to talk to him. Now that she knows where he hangs out he'll probably move. She has to convince him she just wants to know who he is! She means him no harm.

He runs out onto the ledge of the cliff face, and Annabeth knows that unless he's a super fast climber he'll have to stop. Then she can talk to him and convince him that everything's alright.

He doesn't stop, though. He keeps running, and then he breaks into a graceful dive off of the ledge, cutting into the water smoothly and with barely a splash. He resurfaces as Annabeth tries to skid to a stop. She sees in his eyes that he believes she'll stop and take her time to climb down, and by then he can be gone. He thinks he's escaped.

And he would have, had Annabeth's feet not slipped as she tried to stop. She falls right off the edge of the cliff, and unlike him her fall doesn't end in a graceful glide into the water. Instead she hits her head on the cliff face and smacks into the water at an angle. Everything goes black for a few seconds, and when she opens her eyes again an awful throbbing has taken over everything.

She feels herself being pulled out of the water, though her vision is blurry and unfocused. She feels the grinding sand against her skin, and she forces her eyes open wide enough to see startling green eyes looking down at her, concerned. She feels herself drifting off, and sleep would be so nice right now, but she's smart enough to know that if she has a concussion she needs to stay awake. So Annabeth focuses on those bright eyes, using them as a reference so she stays somewhat alert.

The eyes disappear for a minute as the boy moves over. When his face comes back into her line of vision he has her phone in his hand and he's calling someone. Nine-One-One, probably.

Then she feels herself being picked up and carried away. The branches of the forest scratch against her arms a few seconds later, then the sunlight hits her skin and she's being set down on warm pavement.

Those green eyes lock on hers one more time. "I'm so sorry," the boy mouths, and then he's gone. Just like that. Disappeared as if he never existed.

The ambulance comes and locates her up, and she's picked up again, though it doesn't feel the same. She's taken to the doctor's office, checked out, and probed endlessly. She stares straight at the wall through it all, her brain still trying to process everything that had happened.

"You're okay," Will says, dropping his hand from where he had been checking her eyes. "You have a small concussion, but it could have been worse. Oh, and a nasty cut that might scar, but it shouldn't be too big or obvious." He frowns at her, and she finally looks up at him. "What were you even doing?"

Should she tell him the truth? But that would mean exposing the strange green-eyed boy and her hidden beach. She can't do that, not after all the trouble she's gone to keeping it a secret.

"I was riding my bike in the woods and I hit a large root and hit a tree," Annabeth lies. "Guess I have to be more careful next time."

Will doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't press. He's pretty chill like that. "Okay. Just stay inside and rest for a few days, okay? Take it easy. And please try to be more careful next time."

Annabeth's mom comes to pick her up, and she goes straight to bed once she gets home. She tries to sleep and get rest like Will had ordered, but she can't stop thinking about those green eyes.

Who is that boy? And why is she so obsessed over finding him?


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: Hey! Here we get Hazel's background and some hints at other characters. Hope you like it!

Chapter 5

Annabeth spends the next day at Hazel's house. Her parents are at work and because of her concussion she has to "be watched" all day. Great. Not like Annabeth's a sixteen, almost seventeen year old.

Hazel has a nice house, though. It has a warm fireplace that is, for some reason, lit, and warm colours are splashed everywhere. The walls are grey, but Annabeth can barely see the dull colour past the dozens of paintings and drawings hanging on the walls. Hazel had made most of them, and she is currently painting another one as Annabeth is watching.

The pallet has green grasses and blue skies and brown horses galloping across it. Hazel is putting the finishing touches on a grey colt as Annabeth lounges on her couch, looking on. The girl has such talent that she barely seems to think as she mixes colours and textures and brushing techniques. And at the same time she's keeping up a conversation with Annabeth.

"So how did you hurt your head, anyways?" Hazel asks, sweeping white paint to add realistic contrast to the hair of the colt.

"I was on my bike and I hit a root and went flying," Annabeth lies. She's trying to keep her story consistent, but she really wants to tell her friend about the boy. It's so hard keeping secrets when she just needs to let it all out. Besides, that's what friends are for.

Hazel turns from her artwork, a disapproving look on her dark face. "Please, Annabeth. I know that's a load of shenanigans. There's more to the story."

Ah, Hazel. Her cinnamon-tipped curls bounce as she turns back to the project, and Annabeth can't help but remember the brightness of her golden eyes. Hazel is a very unique person, and Annabeth is glad they are friends.

Hazel is so different than most people Annabeth has ever met. She comes from a rough past. Her mother had been a magician, but most people called her a witch. There was an apparent "curse" around their family of two; Hazel had an uncanny ability to find gems and precious stones, but whenever they were used they killed the recipient.

Everyone blamed her mother and her, and Hazel had been bullied very badly. She found solace from the cruel world with animals, specifically horses. She loved to ride them and care for them, and for a few hours, everything went away.

Then her mother died in an explosion on an offshore island in Alaska (Hazel herself had barely survived) and things had been touchy. With no father present and a dead mother with no relatives, things seemed dark for the girl. Until a pale Italian boy showed up claiming to be her half-sister.

Nico di Angelo. He's from the same (absent) father, but a different mother. His mom died when their apartment crumbled. His other sister, Bianca, had died a few years later, and he had gone searching for any other relatives. Luckily he'd found Hazel in time to rescue her from the government.

The two live together with their father's mother-in-law (apparently their father had re-married yet another woman), Demeter. Demeter loves flowers and plants and the spring and summer, which is a completely opposite personality than Nico, who is pretty much goth.

Hazel had shown Annabeth his room, and it had been so drastically different than the rest of the house that Annabeth couldn't believe it was attached. His walls were black, his bedspread and sheets black, his carpet dark grey, and posters of his favourite bands black, white, and blood red. It screams emo.

Still, Nico is pretty cool. He manages to get along with their step-grandma (?). Apparently Demeter is in charge of all things agricultural in the state of North Carolina, so she's gone a lot. However, she does provide Nico and Hazel with a roof above their heads (and a nice one at that), food on the table, and a check every other week. Not bad, especially not for two teenagers.

"Okay, maybe not," Annabeth allows, focusing back on the conversation. She lowers her voice. "I saw a guy."

Hazel turns around, her mouth being smothered by her hand. "You? Annabeth Chase, famously cold-hearted genius, saw a guy! And not only that, but he turned her head so much that she hit a root and received a concussion. Who was it?"

Annabeth laughs. "I have a perfectly good reason to be cold-hearted. You remember what happened which my last boyfriend." Her smiles falters as the memory comes back. She doesn't want to remember what happened. So she brightens her smile back up and stores away the stale feelings.

"Was he hot?" Hazel asks, then giggles and fans herself. She's really shy about talking about such subjects, even though she practically has a boyfriend herself. Practically, since her man is too shy to ask her out officially.

"He was pretty attractive," Annabeth admits, glad she can talk about this. "I don't know who he is. He might be a tourist, or a guy visiting family somewhere nearby. He's about our age, though. I know that."

She can't tell Hazel about the cave or the pictures in the cave. It will just make her sound like a stalker (which she isn't. Really).

"You better find out who he is," Hazel says, putting down her brushes and picking up her signature purple pen to sign her name in the bottom right corner of the painting. "Because Operation: Get Annabeth A Boyfriend has officially begun."

"Oh, please," Annabeth replies, rolling her eyes. "I know you and Frank are a thing. He just needs to get over himself to ask you out."

Hazel blushes deep, turning away to fake cleaning up. "We're not a 'thing'," she protests weakly. She's cornered now, and she knows it. So, she does the smart move and changes the subject. "I need to go out back and feed the horses."

Annabeth sighs. "And I suppose I have to come with you so you can watch me and make sure I don't die?"

Hazels beams cheekily. "Of course."

Demeter's house is at the edge of town, lying right on the corner of several acres. Because it is so close to town people with livestock, such as horses, tend to rent out stalls on the property. Currently there are three horses and five cattle. Hazel takes responsibility of them, but she doesn't mind. In fact, she has her own horse.

Arion is a light coloured-horse with a glossy black mane. He shakes his head as the two walk by, letting out a soft neigh. Hazel pats his velvet nose before moving on to the storage rooms at the back.

Of the other two horses one is pure black. He has his nose stuck in the air as if he's king of the stable (which he's not). Hazel greets him as "Blackjack" before dumping his food in his feeder.

Annabeth strokes the black hair of his neck. "Whose he belong to?" she asks, curious. Not many people own livestock in Coral Reef.

"I'm not entirely sure. He's owned by a relative's son, but the whole family tree is complicated. My father is married to Demeter's daughter, but Demeter is his brother? I don't know, it's weird and gross. But anyway, one of my father's and Demeter's other brothers has a son, and his son owns him. I guess he's my cousin or whatever—I told you it's complicated—but I've never met him."

"So the poor horse never gets ridden?" Annabeth questions.

"That's the weirdest part," Hazel answers. "He gets ridden all the time. My cousin takes him out at the weirdest times. During the day when I'm at school, sometimes at night, in the morning or evening when I'm working—basically any time I'm not around he gets taken out. It's almost like my cousin knows my schedule and only comes when I'm gone."

"Maybe he's scared of you," Annabeth teased. She has been Hazel's friend for so long, yet she'd never come over before. How had she never heard any of this?

Hazel shrugs. "Nico has seen him a few times. Doesn't really talk about him, though. Apparently it has nothing to do with me, so that's a relief."

She moves with the feed bucket to the next stall, which houses a grey stallion. Annabeth rubs his head as Hazel scoops out his food. "Who does this guy belong to?"

"That's Jason's," Hazel replies. "His name is Tempest. I'll have you know, he's the craziest horse I've ever ridden. Took several weeks before he'd stop trying to escape, another few before he'd let me on his back, and only recently has he actually let me do things with him. Of course, the moment the Jason shows up he's a melting puppy."

"He seems to like me," Annabeth offers, noting the unusual electric blue eyes of the animal.

Hazel grins. "That's only because I'm in here. Moment I step out of sight, you better retrieve your hand before he bites it off."

Tempest tosses his head as if in protest of her accusations, and Annabeth notices the little white marks dotting his coat. They're light, but that, along with the varying shades of grey and electric blue eyes, make him really look like a storm. One that matches his name and personality, apparently.

"That's another funny thing," Hazel remarks as she finishes feeding Arion. "Apparently Jason is my cousin, too. Never knew that until recently."

"I take it your aunts and uncles aren't very close, then," Annabeth says dryly as she follows her friend.

"Location wise? Very close. Any other way? Farther than the north and south poles."

Hazel and Annabeth return to the house, where Annabeth's mom has just pulled up at.

"I have to go," Annabeth tells Hazel. "Thanks for letting me hang out."

Hazel smiles. "No problem. You should come out more often."

"I will," Annabeth promises. "I will."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: I promise you'll get the full story behind Annabeth's last boyfriend in due time. But for now I'll just leave some hints :)

Chapter 6

Annabeth is allowed to be by herself again by Monday. Unfortunately it is the week of exams. Her first class exam is on Wednesday, and it so happens to be biology. Fun.

She studies all day in school, pretty much blowing off the last few days of the other courses. Those are easy classes that she already has high A's in; this science exam, however, will determine whether she finishes her eleventh year with either a GPA of four or three point nine-nine. And, as far as scholarships go, it is very important to have perfect grades.

All through her lunch hour she studies, reading and re-reading chapters, taking new notes and highlighting old ones, and basically ruining the spine of her textbook. Piper tries to talk to her but is disappointed. Instead she goes over to sit by Jason (Annabeth does notice that and smiles to herself).

After school she heads straight to the beach where she curls up on the now-cooler sand and clears her mind before reading again. She reads about three chapters before she hears a splash.

Looking up out of the ugly black print she sees the black-haired boy surfing in the water. He must have come out of nowhere, but now he's there, right in front of her, practically _teasing_ her.

He must know she can't take time off her studies and thus can't chase after him because he's really tempting her. Even so, she can't take her eyes off him. He's a really good surfer—like, the best surfer she's ever seen, even on TV. And she's seen a lot of professional surfers.

He finally wipes out, a wave clearing him off his board with a shriek of joy. He pops up a few seconds later, shaking his head and climbing back on his board. He looks back over at her and winks. At least she assumes he winks, because he's pretty far out.

Annabeth just can't believe it. Why would he treat her like this when yesterday he was afraid of her seeing him? Why the sudden change in behaviour? It doesn't make any sense, and that upsets her. This…boy, this infidel doesn't make any sense. He defies all social patterns and he doesn't belong here, and Annabeth doesn't like it. She doesn't like not knowing things, and she doesn't know anything about him. It frustrates her to no end.

She stubbornly forces herself to take her eyes off him and begins to study again. She might not know anything about him, but he doesn't know anything about her, either. And she won't give him the satisfaction of her attention.

It's harder than it seems, and Annabeth isn't getting any studying done. She packs up and walks her bike back, but not before sparing a final glance towards the strange, dark-haired boy. He's riding the waves in, and he waves enthusiastically before a wave sweeps over his head. When the water breaks and settles, there is no evidence of him ever being there.

Annabeth just shakes her head to herself and continues the trek home.

* * *

At lunch the next day Annabeth finds herself studying, her food untouched on her tray to the side. She's read the entire textbook two times in the last two days, and she's starting again. She needs the good grade on this exam more than she needs food. And that means devoting all her time to working.

Piper had left to sit by Jason, so Annabeth is sitting by herself. She's not bothered by it; if her friends want to sit by people who will talk to them, then Annabeth is perfectly fine with that. However, she isn't prepared for the group of douches that saunter up and take places around her at her lunch table.

One of the guys slams her book closed and slides it across the table. Annabeth snaps her head up and glares at them; she really isn't in the mood.

"Give it back," she snipes. The guy laughs and sweeps it to another one of his friends. Soon all the guys are in on the game, sliding and pushing the textbook to each other. Annabeth sits back and crosses her arms and watches, just biding her time and not giving them a reaction.

Soon they give up and slide the book to the cafeteria floor. Annabeth narrows her eyes but doesn't say anything. Unfortunately the guys have a lot to say.

"Why are you studying so hard?" one of them asks. "Do you think your superior to us or something? Do you think your future is more important than ours?"

"I just want to get good grades," Annabeth replies levelly, not betraying her irritation. "I'm sorry you don't."

"Why do you care about good grades?" a different guy questions. "A pretty girl like you can get any guys she wants. Just marry rich."

"Yeah," another chimes in. "Lay the book aside and have some fun while you're young and pretty. We're always up for some fun."

Annabeth mentally rolls her eyes. Can they get any worse? Luckily she's not bothered by them too much so she just sighs. "Grow a pair. And grow up while you're at it. Maybe if you received good marks you'd actually get a girlfriend for once."

The guys all but growl and lean closer, threatening looks on their faces. She doesn't react; that's all they want. They just want to rattle her. She won't let them.

"Listen, blondie," one of them says lowly. "We know you aren't the good girl you've fooled everyone else into thinking. We know about you and your last boyfriend. And I'm going to bet you've got another one, and that's why you're so cold and heartless towards the rest of us. I just hope, for your sake, that he's rich." His threat makes Annabeth angry more than afraid; she sets her jaw and stares straight ahead as they all stand up and leave, and once they're out of sight she relaxes her pose and takes a deep breath.

Annabeth doesn't go to the beach that afternoon. She hides in her house, her books open in front of her but not touched. She can't study without the awful words of those boys in her head.

When her mother comes home Annabeth runs to her, wrapping her into a tight hug. Her mom is surprised by her, but not unhappy. Once Annabeth pulls away she holds her shoulders tight. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Am I cold and heartless for valuing my future over guys?" Annabeth asks. Her mother frowns.

"No," she replies. "Of course not. You know, I graduated college before I even met your father. He was my first serious boyfriend. I had always had goals in mind, and I reached those goals before even looking at boys. Who says otherwise?"

Annabeth smiles, relieved. Her mother is always so smart and helpful, not to mention supportive. "Just some jerk guys at my school. The kind that only like dumb girls."

Her mother laughs. "Don't worry about them. It may seem like only the dumb girls get boyfriends, but once out of high school intelligence is at a much higher value. The better guys go for smart girls, and smart girls should go for smart guys. You might have to wait a few years, but don't worry about it."

"I won't," Annabeth promises. "Thanks so much, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too, sweetie," her mother replies, giving her a quick side hug. "Now, in celebration of your exams tomorrow how about I make your favourite meal?"

Annabeth heads back to her room to study, but she can only think about what her mother said about smart girls going for smart guys. What if the guy she meets is just average? What if he's not smarter than she is? Is he the right one if he's not super smart?

And most of all she just thinks about the dark-haired boy at the hidden beach. The way he had been surfing yesterday, just splashing around and having fun. What if she'd rather be with someone who has fun and can make any situation light rather than a smart guy? Would her parents approve?

Does she care if her parents approve?


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: Hope you enjoy this chapter! Some actually Percabeth moments! (I know you've all been waiting forever :P)

Chapter 7

The exam totally bombed, at least in Annabeth's mind. Everything she had worried about had been on there, and she feels completely shaken and off-balanced. She needs something to take her mind off things.

Hazel is too busy studying for her French exam tomorrow to hang out, though. "I'm sorry, Annabeth," she apologises. "Maybe after exams."

After exams will be too late. She needs someone to talk to now, someone who can help her feel better and get her mind off things.

Piper isn't available either. "I have a date with Jason," she says. "Otherwise I'd have plenty of time."

Great. So Annabeth is left alone without any friends. Her parents won't get home until later, and even if they were available, she wouldn't want to talk to them about an exam she may have possibly failed.

What is she going to do? She has no one left to turn to. For the first time in her life, she is completely alone. No books or music or even internet friends can fill the void inside.

Annabeth has a great idea. Maybe her situation isn't totally hopeless. There has to be at least one other friend of hers. Annabeth grabs her satchel, slings it over her shoulder, and heads out to the pet shop. She doesn't have another shift until school lets out, but maybe Silena is there. And if she is, maybe she can talk to Annabeth. Silena is always so sweet and kind and wise. One of Annabeth's real role-models.

Sure enough, Silena is at the counter. She's wiping it down with a rag, her messy black bun managing to look salon-perfect. Silena even makes the shop apron look stylish over her tank too and shorts.

"Hey, Annabeth," Silena calls softly, putting down her rag and looking up. "What's going on? You aren't logged in for a shift."

"I just needed to talk to someone," Annabeth admits. "And all my friends are busy. Whether it's studying or dating...I just feel like I'm losing everyone close to me. Silly, right?"

"I don't think it's silly," Silena answers. "I think you're lonely. You're missing something in life. I'm not sure what, but I think it has to do with how you're living."

Missing something in life? What could Annabeth possibly be missing? "I'm not sure what you mean," Annabeth says slowly.

"It seems to me that you're living in the future. Everything you do seems to be in preparation for your future, and that wouldn't be a bad thing, except you aren't living in the now. What do you do besides work and school work?"

Annabeth is at a loss. She has always thought that life is about working hard and reaping the rewards later, but it sounds like Silena is telling her to let loose a little, to embrace what she has now instead of waiting for later. Maybe not all the time, but at least every so often.

"I used to be a lot like you," Silena muses, taking Annabeth from her thoughts. "I wanted to be a beautician. I worked all day and night, constantly studying or working to save up for college. I thought that my life was complete. Then I met Charles Beckendorf, and you know the rest."

"And now you're working here?" Annabeth asks, not meanly. She just doesn't want to give away her future to a part-time minimum wage job at a dump that smells like animal poop.

"Actually I'm taking college classes at night," Silena laughs. "So I'm still chasing my dream, just not alone. And, to be honest, it's more fun this way. Charlie is such a great supporter and an inspiration. I don't know how I could do what I'm doing now without him. Planning is much easier than doing."

Annabeth stays silent, mulling over what her friend had said. Maybe Annabeth should take a chance with a guy. Surely a repeat of her last boyfriend can't happen. At least not if she takes her time before throwing herself into a relationship. Maybe he can even help her on biology (yeah, right. Wishful thinking).

"Thanks, Silena," Annabeth says, heading out. "Your advice really helped, even if it wasn't what I thought I would get."

"No problem, Annie," the young woman replies. "Any time."

* * *

The beach is as beautiful and pristine as ever, the sand blown smooth across the ground and the water sparkling like a thousand sapphires. For the first time, though, Annabeth is nervous. She isn't here to study or to enjoy the beauty of the natural landscape; she's here for something much different.

She drops her items on the ground under a tree and continues walking towards the edge of the sand, her eyes scanning the blue horizon. She doesn't see anything for a while, then she sees him. The black-haired boy. He's swimming, diving under the waves or trying to resist them. He's laughing, a sound that carries back to her. It's a sweet sound, and she can't help but watch for a few minutes.

What's she missing in her life that he isn't? Obviously he isn't worrying so much about the future that he can't enjoy the present. Every day he's here, having fun, living life to the fullest. Maybe that's what she's missing. She isn't living her life to the fullest. Annabeth has let opportunities pass by in favour of studying or researching, but now she is starting to regret it. She just wants to be happy like this complete stranger.

Annabeth had sworn not to tell him anything about her since she doesn't know anything about him, but she decides to make an exception out of today. She really needs to talk to someone, and Silena had inspired her to reach past her normal boundaries. That, and along with the fact that she's desperate for another friend.

She waves at the boy, and after a minute he catches sight of her. He swims in a little like a suspicious dog and stands still as he takes stock of the situation. She's patient, just standing there and waiting for him to think it over. He must finally decide to trust her because he begins walking in. As he nears he stares at her, making her a little uncomfortable.

Annabeth means to make a good impression and to introduce herself but she can't stop staring at his abs. He has one of the nicest six-packs she's ever seen, and she's seen a lot of shirtless college guys come through Coral Reef. Finally she looks up to his face, where he has a smirk on his face. She scowls, trying to hide the furious blush that grows up her face and neck.

"Listen, Seaweed Brain," she declares, then suddenly stops. Seaweed Brain? Where'd she get that from? He obviously has the same question since he raises a dark eyebrow in response.

"What?" she defends herself. "You haven't told me your name, so I have to call you something. And you are always in the water, so it makes sense." Now she's just blabbering on and on. _Good job_ , Annabeth, she congratulates herself. _Good first impression._ "Anyways," she starts again, trying to pick up the scraps of her dignity, "I need someone to listen or talk to me or something. And you seem to be fresh out of friends, so what do you say? Friends?"

She extends her hand, feels stupidly formal about it, but leaves it, knowing she'll look worse if she drops it. The boy himself, _Seaweed Brain_ , looks at it in amusement before shaking. Of course he isn't going to say a word, though; he's being hard and stupid like most guys. And he probably thinks she's stupid, too. Whatever. She doesn't care what he thinks.

After he lets go he sits on the sand cross-legged and motions for her to speak. Annabeth feels really awkward so she sits down, too, a good two feet away. Then she opens her mouth to tell him about the exam...and ends up telling him a much different story. She opens up and tells him everything about how she's been so focused on her future that she hasn't been able to live in the present. She tells him about how her friends have abandoned her for it (well, not entirely) and how she feels lonely and miserable.

An hour later she finishes, feeling much better about everything, even though she'd only told him a fraction of her problems. He'd been a good listener, and when he finally opened his mouth she began to think he'd give her some good advice or tell her something that is weighing on him. Instead the four words that come out of his mouth confirm that her nickname of "Seaweed Brain" is accurate.

"I like blue food."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: A little bit of a longer chapter, but I bet you'll like it :) Thanks for all the awesome reviews for the last chapter; I don't think I've ever received so many before! Also, on this one, I hope you don't hate Annabeth's mom too much. Much of what she's saying and doing is what she feels is the best thing for Annabeth. Parents don't always know what is best for their children even if they think they do. What's important is that she's trying her best.

Chapter 8

Annabeth is completely stunned. She's rarely ever taken aback by something someone says, so this is odd and weird for her. But more than that, she's so shocked that she looks away.

"What?" she questions, mostly because she hasn't digested what he stated. It hasn't sunk in fully yet.

There's no answer. She turns back to him, only to discover he's gone. Disappeared. The waves till crash against the shore, but he's nowhere to be found. How he always leaves so mysteriously bothers her, but she puts it aside.

She had managed to get him to talk to her, even if it had only been four words. Improvement on her part. Relationships take a long time to build, and Annabeth has started laying the foundations for a friendship with him. He had told her something about himself, so it had been a start. A small one, yes, but still a start.

Annabeth leaves shortly after, knowing she'll have to go home and face her parents eventually. Besides, there's nothing for her here right now. She'll come back later when she's ready to talk to Seaweed Brain or when she wants to take advantage of the lovely beach and view. For now, though, she's ready to head home.

It's a solemn bike ride home, and to make her mood better, the skies open up and start down pouring. She's dripping wet by the time she makes it inside, and her mother isn't too happy about the water trail that follows.

Annabeth's exam grade ended up being just high enough to get her the A she so desperately needed, but not so high that her parents were pleased. Dinner ended up being a tense expedition, and every time her dad or mom open their mouths she flinches inside. The inevitable conversation is like a time bomb that is ticking its way down.

Finally her mother makes a remark. "Your exam grades came in."

"That's nice," Annabeth says, trying to avoid the coming wave of lectures to no avail.

"Annabeth!" Her mother hardly ever snaps like that. Annabeth swallows and slowly looks her in the eyes. "You're always gone. All afternoon you're off running around, doing God-knows-what, or working. By not focusing on school you're throwing your future away! You can't do that. You have so much potential to just waste it all on high school activities."

"No," Annabeth shakes her head slowly, her voice low. "You don't even know what I'm doing. I'm studying. I always study. It's all I do!" Silena's words come to her then, and Annabeth can't help but get all her pent up feelings out. "I am missing out on life because I'm so focused on my future. Maybe I'm a teenager that wants to have fun sometimes. Maybe I'm just a young adult who has no social life whatsoever because I spend all my buried in schoolwork. My future isn't worth giving up my present life for."

Her mother doesn't share the same sentiments. "Yes, it is. I know all your friends aren't smart enough to put in the effort that you do, and I know they are feeding you these rebellious thoughts, but you have to shut them out. Trust me, I am so glad I skipped out on regular things to get where I am now."

"I am not you!" Annabeth almost shouts. "I am my own self, and I don't want to sacrifice my life now to prepare for my future."

"I'm doing you a favour by grounding you for this summer, then," her mother says harshly. "As your parent I'm responsible for doing what is best for you. And you need to study and work hard if you are going to do well in the long run."

"You can't do that!" Is her mother serious? She can't just ground her for the whole summer. She can't make her take summer classes. She can't! Annabeth won't accept it. She can't. What about Hazel? And Silena? And Piper? Even Seaweed Brain? She has to be able to see them and interact with them. "You don't know what is the best for me. This is my life."

"Remember what happened the last time you tried to do what you thought was the best for yourself?" her mother snaps. Annabeth flinches, her eyes widening. How dare she use that against her? "Thought so. You can't stop this." Her voice softens, lowers. "I'm just trying to help you, Annabeth. I love you, and I'll do anything for you."

Rage fills Annabeth. How dare she say that? Annabeth stands, pushing her chair back roughly. She grabs her bag, slings it over shoulder, and stalks out. "I have a shift tonight at the shop," she says coldly before slamming the door behind her.

That had been only a partial truth. She does have a shift, but it doesn't start for another thirty minutes. She had to get out of that house, though. Annabeth begins the walk, her flip flops making popping noises in the quite neighbourhood. No one else is out; they're all eating dinner or enjoying each other's company.

Annabeth is jealous of them all. Her parents have always pushed her, though mostly her mother. Her father is just happy when she's happy, but there's no way he's going to stand up against her mother. He might quietly try to speak reason to her, but it won't do much. Annabeth is alone in this, and she doesn't like it because she has no defenses, no help, and no high ground. It's a battle that she's doomed to lose.

She finally steps into the pet shop. Silena is there again, but she's the only there. She notices Annabeth's down mood, but she doesn't comment, for which Annabeth is thankful for. Instead she takes her hand and brings her back to the old storage rooms.

"We finished!" she beams, excited. Annabeth opens the doors and sees a complete office with gleaming ceramic floors and yellow and orange walls.

"It's…bright," she observes, a little stunned. Only days ago they'd been emptying it out and scrubbing the floors. Now it's finished.

"Apollo does have a lot of money and influence," Silena explains. "There are two surgery rooms and a check-up room. Apollo gave me basic instructions as to what to do if someone has an emergency and he's not around."

Silena shows Annabeth around, explaining how everything works and where it is. Annabeth has a basic understanding of things, and it takes her mind off her own family problems.

"Do you mind if I take off early?" Silena asks after she returns to the main pet shop. "Charlie and I have an evening out planned."

"Go ahead," Annabeth answers. "I don't want to go home anytime soon." Silena gives her a reassuring smile before heading out. Annabeth takes up a position behind the counter.

Time passes and she begins to become bored. Only two customers came in, and they just ended up petting the baby bunnies, one of which Annabeth still is holding in her hands. Its coat is a mottled mess of brown and white fur. He's silky soft, and Annabeth finds petting him is calming.

The store is supposed to close at nine, but Annabeth keeps it open still. She busies herself first by counting the money and putting it in the safe. Then she feeds all the animals. She cleans their cages. She plays with the puppies for a while. She reorganises the shelves.

Ten thirty comes around and she's lounging on the hard stool by the register. No one is going to come in, and even though she knows it she can't bring herself to close up shop. She doesn't want to go home. She can't.

Annabeth is about to admit defeat at eleven when suddenly the doors burst open. It's still raining outside apparently, since the person who enters is dripping wet through the floors the just cleaned. Normally she'd be irritated but the figure is carrying a large furry animal, and Annabeth can only feel concern.

He turns, and she's surprised at who she sees. "Seaweed Brain?" she asks. His face is scrunched up in pain and worry, and her eyes fall to the large creature in his arms. It's a dog, and a large one at that. Pure black and scary-looking. She's never seen the dog before, or even one like it, for that matter, but from the odd angle of its leg and the whimpers coming from it he/she is obviously in a lot of pain.

Her eyes flick back up to her somewhat-friend's face, and his bright green eyes are screaming for help. She jumps off her stool and motions for him to come, opening the door to the vet part of the office. He rushes through, his muscles strained with the weight of his animal.

"Put him in here," she orders, opening the door to the blue surgery room. He follows her orders wordlessly, setting his dog down on the marble table. "I have to call my boss. Just a minute."

She whips out her phone and dials Apollo. It rings emptily for a long eternity. She can feel Seaweed Brain's eyes boring into her, practically willing her to make everything alright. Annabeth can only do so much, though.

Apollo finally answers. "Annabeth?" he asks.

"We have an emergency at the shop," Annabeth answers quickly. "Well, at the clinic. We have an injured dog…car accident, maybe? I don't know, but we need you."

"I'm on my way," Apollo says. "Speaking of which, what are you doing there so late?"

"Doesn't matter," Annabeth replies, hanging up before he can ask anything else. She turns to the whimpering dog and its owner. "Okay, I need to fill out some basic information." She pulls out a sheet. "Name?"

Seaweed Brain's eyes dart around like a deer in the headlights. She doesn't know why he's so adverse to official things. Maybe he's an ex-con on the run from the government. Maybe he's an illegal immigrant. Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter now.

"How about we put down 'SB' instead," Annabeth says. His eyes turn to a grateful look. She fills out what she can. "Dog name?"

"Mrs. O'Leary," he answers hesitantly. Annabeth smiles a little at that.

"I like it," she says. After filling out as much of the paperwork as she can she sets it on the counter, turning to inspect the situation. "Apollo is on his way. I can't do very much without him. I wish I could, but I'm sorry." She walks out, feeling bad. There is one thing she can do to help him, though.

Annabeth returns with a few towels, handing them to Seaweed Brain. "Here. Dry yourself off."

He does so, his eyes never letting up the concern for his canine friend. Annabeth can't imagine what it is like to see a friend suffer in front of your eyes without being able to help them.

Apollo comes in a few minutes later. Annabeth thinks he'll object to the strange teenager who won't give out any personal information but he doesn't even look twice before shooing them out of the surgery room. That's one thing she appreciates about her boss; he doesn't care about legal matters so much. He's chill, just like his son, Will.

Outside of the surgery room Seaweed Brain crashes hard on one of the waiting room chairs. His skin is mostly dry, though his hair and clothes are still sopping. Annabeth exits the shop, jogs across the back parking to the storage room, and digs out a heated blanket and some shirts and sweatpants that have _I LUV CORAL REEF PET SHOP_ embroidered on them. She returns to the waiting room and hands the pile to the dark-haired teenager.

He takes them to the bathroom and changes, then returns and moves to the couch. As he settles in he nods her way gratefully. "Thanks," he forces out.

Annabeth shrugs. "It's nothing," she says. "Well, it's actually my job."

"No." He shakes his head. "You took Mrs. O'Leary to the blue surgery room. You remembered."

Annabeth feels a small smile growing on her face. "Well, it would be kinda hard to forget. After all, it is the only thing about yourself that you've told me."

Apollo comes out of the surgery room, a strained smile on his face. "She'll be fine," he informs Seaweed Brain. Then he turns to her. "It's almost midnight. Your shift ended three hours ago. Go home. That's not a request, either."

Annabeth nods and walks out. She uses her phone as a flashlight as she heads home. When she walks through the front door her father is still up. He's at the dining room table, a quarter of a way through a huge Civil War book.

"You're home!" he exclaims. "Your mother is up, too, but if you don't want to see her then you can go to bed. I'll let her know."

Annabeth thanks him and heads up to bed, wondering how her life had come to this. Avoiding her mother, working late night shifts, and hanging around suspicious teenage boys. Not to mention Annabeth's last day of exams is tomorrow.

It's been a long day.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: Sorry for not updating last week. School just started so my schedule is suddenly unmanageable, but most of you know how that goes :)

Chapter 9

"You're not serious," Annabeth repeats, her jaw set hard. Her mother stands in front of her, stern face full on.

"I most certainly am," her mother replies. "You are grounded for this entire summer. You will go to work when you have a shift, and you will volunteer in the library for eight hours a week. Other than that you will not leave this house."

"You make it sound like I'm a criminal!" Annabeth protests. "I have done nothing to deserve this! I study all the time, I barely go to friends' houses, and I get perfect grades. Why are you treating me like I was just released from juvie?"

"I know you're seeing someone, and it isn't healthy. You simply cannot make wise choices about the men you date." Her mother is firm, and Annabeth is angry beyond reason.

"Once! I made a bad choice _once_ and yet you hold it over my head again and again! And I am not seeing anyone! You're making this up, and I don't know why, but this is unrealistic. You're being unreasonable." Nothing she can say will change her mother's mind, but Annabeth has to try. She can't just lay down and roll over in defeat. This is her life at stake, and she isn't just going to let this go.

"I'm being your mother, and I know what's best for you." Her mother crosses her arms, a sign that she isn't going to budge. "And you will listen."

"No," Annabeth shakes her head. "I've only ever done anything that will please you. I spend my entire life trying to do things to make you happy, and now you expect me to give up my life for you? No."

"Then you can leave." Athena points to the door, her face unchanging. "The door's wide open. You stay here, you listen and obey. You refuse to do what I ask of you and you can try life on your own."

"Fine." Annabeth strides to the door, rips it open (it wasn't literally wide open) and then slammed it shut without looking back. She doesn't have any regrets, either; as long as her mother is going to be unreasonable then she won't live here.

She walks away from her house to the malt shop across the street from the pet shop and slides into a seat with a good view of the ocean. She orders a chocolate shake and sits back, trying not to let the tears fall. Everything suddenly hits her at once, the pain of being kicked out of her own house, the pain of failing and disappointing her mom, and the pain of being completely and utterly alone. She isn't ready for this, and she knows that. Yet she still knows she can't go back to her house, either. She can't live under such strict rules.

So where is she going to live? That's the big question she's going to have to answer, and soon.

Her malt comes and she eats it slowly, letting everything sink in. She's homeless, she has nothing except the clothes on her body, her phone, and a few dollars cash, and her parents basically disowned her.

Annabeth idly thinks of Seaweed Brain. For all she knows he lives by himself in that cave, and he seems to make out pretty well. But why would anyone want to live in such isolation? Sure, he has his dog, but other than that he must be lonely. Annabeth herself is a pretty lonely person but even she can't imagine living by herself like that.

When her beverage is finished she stands, leaving a generous tip and pulling out her cell phone, dialing the one person she knows. Hazel answers on the second ring.

"Hey!" Her voice is cheery, like usual. Annabeth feels a small smile decorate her face. Maybe things won't be so bad. Maybe she can make something good out of her situation.

"Hey, Hazel. Can I ask a favour?"

There is no hesitation on her friend's voice. "Sure. What is it?"

"I…I need a place to stay for a while. I'm not sure how long that is, though." The words come out much harder than she thinks, and she ends up stumbling over them.

"We have an extra room," Hazel replies. Thankfully she doesn't press Annabeth for anything else. "I'll get it ready. Do you need anything else?"

"Uh, not yet. I have a shift today so I won't be there until this evening. Thanks so much. This really means a lot."

"It'll be like an extended sleep-over," Hazel cheerfully says before hanging up, and that little sentence makes Annabeth feel that much better. She exits the malt shop and walks across the street, deciding that if she's going to live on her own she's going to have to make more money, meaning she's going to have to work longer.

Apollo is in the surgery area, cleaning up the room. No trace of Seaweed Brain or his dog is left except a folded up blanket on one of the waiting chairs. Annabeth pretends to not notice.

"That was nice of you last night to not press details on that poor boy," she remarks casually, gauging Apollo's response. He shrugs nonchalantly and continues wiping the marble counter.

"Anything I can do to help others," he replies, not missing a beat. But Annabeth sees through it.

"You know who he is, don't you?" she accuses lightly. Apollo shrugs again.

"I know a lot of people," he says coolly, avoiding her question. "Are you going to be working an extra long shift today?"

"Yeah, I can. Why?"

"Silena is leaving early. I hate to give it to you, seeing as though you stayed super late last night, but I don't have many options." He turns, looking her in the eyes. "Why are working so many hours suddenly?"

"I, um…family problems," Annabeth admits. "And I am saving up for college. This way I can have time to myself and can achieve my goals." Apollo is one of those people who is easy to talk to. He himself talks a lot, but he can also listen, too. And Annabeth appreciates that. He's one of the coolest bosses ever.

"I know how that goes," he agrees. "Well, I hope it all works out well for you."

"Thanks." He leaves, and Annabeth starts her shift, knowing that she'll have a good place to stay at and a nice room mate for when goes "home" that evening. And with that thought comes another: does Seaweed Brain have that? A good place to stay and a friend? Maybe that's all one needs to have a good life. And maybe leaving her parent's house is for the better.

Only time will tell.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Chapter 10

Hazel's home is indeed Annabeth's new home. The guest room is spacious and comfortable, beautiful olive green walls and brown accents making it aesthetically pleasing. Annabeth feels welcome within seconds.

The bed is a large queen water mattress with a brown and gold quilt and a half dozen plush pillows of ranging sizes. The rug is a grayish green and is thick and soft, allowing Annabeth to tread lightly upon it. The rich brown wood dresser stands tall in one corner, and the coffee table by the bedside shorter but still proud. The closet is set in an outlet in the wall, the same matching brown colour as everything else, and the bathroom to the right of the room has a tub with jets.

Everything is large and airy, and when Annabeth inhales deeply it smells of chocolate and jasmine. The smell of expensive things. She knows it's arrogant to think that way, but as she slides into the tub and pours in bath oil she feels wealthy. Dirt rich and wealthy, that is.

The hot water spraying from the jets slam into her sides, relaxing her muscles and massaging her skin. Annabeth leans back and takes it in, wishing she could once again thank Hazel for the accommodations. She hadn't been expected a palace when she had called in her desperation, but Hazel had made everything just perfect. A true friend.

The smell of roses floats up from the oil, and Annabeth slides deeper in to the warm water. Work and school and her parents had stretched her thin and worn her out more than she had previously thought. As the seconds of soaking tick by she feels the stress peeling off of her like a second skin. She's free, now; it's summer, the air is warm, the nights are short, the days long, her parents are out of her life, and there's nothing tethering her to the earth. Annabeth can do anything, can be anything, and there's no person or thing to stop her.

When her muscles are completely relaxed she turns off the jets and washes her hair, massaging the sweet-smelling conditioner and shampoo through her blonde locks. After rinsing it out she grabs her towel from the sink counter and steps out of the tub, leaving behind the old self. She feels like a whole different person already.

The towel is warm from the steam of the tub, and she dries off slowly, using some white and gold specked lotion Hazel had set out earlier. Rubbing it gently into her skin she can practically feel her skin refreshing itself, turning the white cracks into a smooth tan surface and the bumps of her skin melting away under the silky substance.

There's a robe hanging from the door handle and Annabeth slides it on, using the towel to twist up her hair. She then turns to the mirror, wiping a hand across the foggy surface to clear it. Staring back at her is someone else. She leans closer just to confirm that it is indeed the same person inside.

Her grey eyes stare back at her, unchanged. But around the marble orbs are thick lashes and young, gold-tinted tanned skin. The worry creases are gone, and her face is flawless and wrinkle-less. Her nose is clear and smooth, all signs of any zits gone as if they never existed. Her lips are fuller than they had been in days, pinker, too; she had been chewing on them like crazy during the school year, but finally they had livened up. Annabeth's roaming fingers found some clear lipstick on the counter and she applied it, puckering up her lips a little. She looks beautiful for maybe the first time in her life, at least in her mind.

Annabeth knows that it's late, but she doesn't have any obligations for the morning so she moves from the bathroom to the bedroom and digs through her small bag for some sweatpants and a t-shirt. She puts them on and wanders out of the room to the kitchen where Hazel is seated at the table, intently working on her newest painting. As Annabeth approaches the younger girl smiles and puts her brush down.

"Don't stop for me," Annabeth urges, but Hazel just shrugs.

"I'm done for the evening." She turns and carries her brushes to the sink to wash off. "You look really good, Annie. Too bad there's no social place to be out around here. You'd steal the show."

"I guess I can steal the show in the barn with the animals," Annabeth says, laughing. "You left the light on outside. Do you want me to go turn it off for you?"

"That would be much appreciated," Hazel replies, snapping the lids on her paints. "I'm actually really tired. You can let yourself back in, right?"

Annabeth leans down and untwists the towel from her hair before slipping on flip-flops and stepping out into the cool night air. She turns back to the house as the door slams shut and sees the light in Hazel's room go dark. Then she sets her sights on the illuminated barn and walks forward in the dark.

Her hair is still wet and it lies on her shoulders in drying curls. It's a little more messy than she would like, but it's not like she's going to be seeing anyone. It's just going to be a few horses.

The door to the barn is ajar, which puzzles Annabeth. Maybe Hazel left the light on but is she really careless enough to leave the door open?

There's a loud whinny as she steps inside the brightly lit building, and at first her mind doesn't comprehend what she's seeing. It doesn't make any sense. Maybe she's more tired than she realised and maybe she's just seeing things. But why would it be this realistic?

"What are you doing here?" she asks, hoping it's all just a dream.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Chapter 11

Seaweed Brain stood, his hand on the glossy black neck of Blackjack. He's wearing khaki shorts and a turquoise shirt that brings out his eyes. He looks completely shocked to see her, but soon it wears off and he grins at her.

"Want to go for a ride?" he asks, ignoring her question. Annabeth takes a shocked step back.

"W-what?"

His grin grows wider. "Let's go for a ride."

"I...I don't really ride well," Annabeth admits, a bit sheepishly. Seaweed Brain shrugs.

"That's okay." He motions her forward, and she takes a reluctant step closer. He impatiently beckons more quickly, and she finally walks over to stand right next to Blackjack. "Now put your hand here, right between his shoulder blades. I'm going to boost you up, okay?" Without warning he grabs her thighs and lifts her up. She knows enough to swing her leg over and around, and somehow she manages to get on right. Blackjack whinnies in disapproval at her crude methods, but he doesn't move. Seaweed Brain murmurs some calming words in his ear and digs around in a white box to feed him some blue doughnuts.

"You feed your horse doughnuts?" Annabeth asks, laughing in disbelief. He shrugs and cracks another smile.

"He likes them." He moves closer to her. "Move back. I'm getting on." Annabeth slides down the flank of his horse, and he slides on smoothly and effortlessly. He doesn't use any riding gear, she notices, so either he's a terrible rider or an amazing one. "Hold on tight."

Annabeth gives his back a look. "Uh-huh. Sure. I'm going to touch you. Totally."

Blackjack suddenly jolts forward, and Annabeth wraps her arms around his stomach in a reflex. She can feel his hard-abs moving in laughter as he spurs his horse into a gallop. "I thought you weren't going to touch me."

"Shut up," she mutters, scooching closer to him so that she's pressed against his back. Falling off a speeding horse is not on her bucket list. Plus he's really warm against the chilly air; she really should have brought a jacket.

Blackjack canters through the countryside for about twenty minutes before stopping in a clearing. Seaweed Brain slides off before offering to help Annabeth. Normally she wouldn't accept the help, but something about Seaweed Brain makes her want to trust him, even with just little things. His arms hold her waist tightly as he lifts her off.

Blackjack trots over to the other side of the clearing, and Seaweed Brain pulls out a blanket she hadn't noticed earlier. He lays it on the ground and then on top of it, and she follows suit, making sure to be just far enough away that she doesn't touch him. He puts his hands behind his head and looks up at the stars. She watches him for a few minutes before turning to the sky, too.

"There are so many interesting stories about the constellations," he says. "They're immortal legends. My mom and I used to go to this beach every summer, the beach where she met my dad, and she would sit by me on the ground and tell me all the different stories. There's the eagle, Aquila. He was Zeus' messenger. One of his most important tasks was to find Ganymede, one of the most handsome humans ever. Ganymede became basically a water boy to the gods. He's also known as the constellation Aquarius."

"There's Aries, or the Ram," Annabeth adds. "I always remember that one because of the golden fleece. Two kids, Phrixus and Helle, were children of a legendary king but were treated horrifically by their step-mother. Hermes sent the Ram to rescue them. Helle fell off and a sea, Hellespont, was named after her. Phrixus continued on and sacrificed the ram to the gods, and that's why the ram is forever saved in the skies."

"Gemini's pretty cool, too. It's the shape of two twins - gemini basically means twins - Castor and Pollux, who were adventurous and brave sons of Zeus. They helped Jason and the Argonauts during a rough storm at sea, and now their constellation is a relief to sailors who can see it." Seaweed Brain has a slight smile on his face.

"Pegasus was a brave horse who served Zeus and several heroes dutifully. That's why he's honored forever."

"I like Pegasus a I also like Sagittarius. He was originally an immortal centaur that was also a brave fighter. Hercules screwed up during a battle once and accidentally shot him with a poisoned arrow, and since he would have to live in pain forever Zeus took mercy on him and allowed him to die, making him into a constellation."

"Perseus is probably my favorite, though," Annabeth says, almost dreamily. Seaweed Brain turns over to grin widely at her. "He was such a hero. The greatest hero, in my opinion. He killed the fearful gorgon Medusa just to save his mother from a horrible marriage. He wasn't a womanizer like most of the other famous heroes. He also earned the favor of the gods."

"That's my second favorite. It used to be my favorite." Seaweed Brain is staring back up at the sky.

"What's your favorite one now?" Annabeth inquires, staring at him.

"Andromeda. She was a beautiful maiden who had a prideful mother. Her mother was so prideful she was willing to sacrifice her daughter's life to a sea monster just to not bruise her ego. But before the monster could kill her, Perseus swept in, pointed the head of Medusa at it, and turned it to stone. He freed her, and they were married until they both died. Now they lay next to each other in the sky forever." He's staring right at her, and Annabeth feels like smiling.

"May I ask you why it's your favorite?"

"My name's Perseus. And I'm here to rescue you from your prideful mother." Annabeth is about to ask why when she remembers she told him everything. But damn, he's pretty smooth.

"So I'm the beautiful maiden chained to be sacrificed to a monster?" she teases, very happy for no reason. No, the reason she is happy is laying right next to her.

"Not anymore." A smirk dances on his lips. "Not since I saved you. But you're still beautiful. The reason Perseus never went around with other women was because his Andromeda was always beautiful to him, even in old age. He had eyes for no other women. Just like I don't have eyes for anyone but you."

Annabeth wants so badly to be with him. He seems so different than any other boy she's ever met, and she has a distinct feeling that he'll be the one. But her mother had been right; she hasn't made great decisions with guys before, so no matter how she feels about Percy now, she can't be with him. At least not until she's one-hundred percent sure he's right.

She swallows, unable to speak. He just watches her for a while, his green eyes big and beautiful. "You're not ready yet," he guesses. "It's okay, though. I'll wait for you. I'll always wait for you."

"You barely know me," she protests weakly. "How are you so sure?"

His eyes are dead serious. "For weeks I watched you, listened to you. My friends tell me stories about you, Annabeth Chase. I know you, and so far I really like everything about you."

He's just so sweet. She wonders who his friends are, but doesn't ask. She's just glad he didn't use _the_ word. If he had pulled out those three little words she wouldn't have been able to do this. Instead he's waiting, and she's decided to give it a try. She's going to let him have a chance.

"Friends, first. That's it." She stares him down, and he breaks a grin.

"I love it when you get bossy." Annabeth smacks him playfully. He tries to grab her, and she bolts to her feet, sprinting across the clearing. She hears him follow and is suddenly glad for being in shape. She outruns him for a while, but he is in better shape. He grabs her around the waist and pulls her down, falling so that she falls on him first and then he rolls over with her underneath. They're faces are so close that she's sure he's going to kiss her, and as much as she wants it, she shakes her head at him. He groans and rolls over on the ground, his hand laying dramatically across his forehead.

"You'res such a drama queen," she teases, rotating on her side to watch him. He musses his black hair and shrugs.

"What are you doing at Hazel's house?" he finally asks, switching the conversation entirely. He's kind of like a boomerang, Annabeth is noticing; one minute he's here, and another he's there without any warning at all. It's spontaneous, and different, and she likes it.

"My parents kicked me out." It sounds so emotionless, yet so final. She reverts the question. "Do you live in that cave?"

"Yeah. My dad has a little fisherman shack out on the island, but I prefer the cave. It makes me feel free. During the school year I'm up in New York living with my mom, though." He's staring up and the skies again, probably thinking about the original Perseus and how he had saved his mother.

"That's a big change. Huge city to lonely cave."

"But I'm not lonely." He turns to look at her, and Annabeth feels as though he's reading her soul. "I have you. You always visit the beach, every single day. And I have Mrs. O'Leary. And I have Blackjack. And during the day I hang out with my father."

"You're an interesting guy," she remarks. "Definitely more interesting than most of the guys at my school."

"All the more reason to be with me," he says jokingly, and she fixes him with a mock glare. He's unashamed, acting as though he hadn't just been majorly friend-zoned. He really is something else.

"And all the more reason I need my good night's sleep." She stands, walking over to Blackjack. Percy follows, sighing a little. "Can I ride in front this time?"

"Sure." He boosts her up on the horse before climbing on himself. He leans over her shoulder to see, and his arms snake under hers to control the horse. Soon they're flying back through the countryside, his breath warm against her neck. She leans back into him, realizing how terrible she is - she rejected him and yet now she's using him. Oh well. It's not like he doesn't like it. Besides, she didn't reject him entirely. She just needs more time, and it seems he understands.

He stays behind in the stable as she heads back into the house. Laying in the soft sheets of the guest bedroom, she can't help but remember how she felt around him. For a few hours she'd forgotten all her troubles, and instead had been happy and content. Already she misses him, and she looks forward to seeing him again soon. As soon as possible, too.

All she knows for sure is that she wants to spend as much time with him as she possibly can.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: I have no idea how to surf, except from what I've seen on TV, so my apologies if everything is wrong.

Chapter 12

"So are you going to teach me?" Annabeth asks. She's sitting on the warm sand in the hidden beach in her swimsuit. She's been watching Percy for the last hour as he does all sorts of things in the water.

"Teach you what?" he questions, stealing a chip from Annabeth's bag.

"Teach me to surf, obviously." She shoves the last of the chips in her mouth and crinkles up the cellophane bag. "You're really good at it, and I want to learn."

"I can try," Percy replies. Annabeth feels a "but" coming. "But what do I get in return?"

"Quality time with me, duh," she answers. He makes a big deal out of thinking about it.

"Well, that _is_ a good bargain, but how about something more." He ducks as Annabeth playfully smacks him. "How about a kiss?"

"Nope. Quality time with me on a small board in the ocean should be enough," she replies, fixing him with one of her looks. He grins, and nods.

"Okay." She senses there is something more, especially with his smirk, but she decides to ignore it and instead walks over to where he is prepping the board. "So you'll paddle out, and then you'll position yourself like this." He demonstrates, and Annabeth tries to copy it. "No, no, like _this_. Okay, there you go. Then you'll jump up, and you have to keep your balance, otherwise you'll wipe out."

He explains it all pretty quickly, and she's sure she misses everything, but then they're on the board in the ocean and are starting to paddle out. To their left is the little island and the cliffs, and to the right is open sea. It really is such a beautiful little personal beach.

"Here comes a wave," Percy says, his body tense and his muscles tight.

"I don't see anything," Annabeth replies, putting a hand over her forehead to block out the sun. Nothing.

"It's more of a feeling," he admits. "I'm good at sensing these sort of things. And I'm sensing that this is a big wave."

"Great," Annabeth mutters, but she copies Percy and waits. The wave, just like he said, is coming, and now she can see it. He wasn't lying when he said it was big.

"Get ready," he says as it gets closer. "It's about to break."

The wave crashes over, and somehow Annabeth is on the board, her knees bent to keep her balance and her arms out. Percy is pressed up behind her, but he is much more stable than she is. The salty water sprays in her face, but she feels like she's flying. It's an amazing feeling.

It doesn't last forever. Her knees are shaking more than ever, and she finally slips, falling towards the glass surface of the water. Percy leans forward and wraps his arms around her bare waist, pulling her back. She tries to ignore what his touch does to her.

"See? You're already falling for me," he jokes, and she shoves herself out of his grip in a teasing manner. He crosses his arms and pouts and Annabeth has an idea. She steps forward, leaning her face towards his. She sees the way his eyes light up and he leans toward her, his arms falling to his sides.

Right before their lips touch she shoves his backwards into the water. He resurfaces a second later, a scowl on his face and coughing up water. She sits on the board as she laughs so hard that tears collect at the corner of her eyes. "You totally fell for that!"

He slams his palms against the edge of the board, putting all his weight into it. Annabeth is catapulted off the board and into the air, shrieking as she flies over him before landing in the water with a large splash. Sputtering, she breaks the surface of the water and sends him a glare. "And you fell for that," he replies.

"You're such a Seaweed Brain," she gripes, and he starts swimming over towards her. Nope. She's not letting him get the best of her. She turns and starts swimming as fast as she can, cutting through the water at a decent speed. He's not far behind, though. She has almost reached the little island when her ankle is yanked down, her body following it under the waves.

Knowing that the salt water will burn her eyes, she still opens them. Percy is keeping her under, the same little smirk on his face the whole time. She smacks him, but the water takes away all her normal force. He laughs, bubbles leaving his mouth and drifting towards the surface. She follows them and treads water as she waits for him to come back up.

Minutes pass and he doesn't come up. She's starting to get nervous. Worried. What if he drowned? What if a shark ate him? Irrational fears, yes, but still there. She finally ducks back under, searching for him. She finds him drifting aimlessly, his eyes closed. Annabeth watches for a moment, mesmerized by how his hair moves with the currents. Then she realises he's probably in danger, and she grabs his hand, pulling him up to the surface and to the little island. He still doesn't stir, even as she lays him on the dry ground. "Percy?" she gently slaps his face. "Are you alright? Percy?" Her voice is starting to turn frantic when his eyes snap open and he starts laughing. Of all the nerve!

She slaps his hard across the face, but he just keeps laughing. "That's not funny! You could have died!" she admonishes, but his laughter doesn't quiet.

"I was waiting for you to give me mouth-to-mouth," he grins, and she narrows her eyes. He finally stops laughing and she stands, stomping away. "Wait, are you upset?"

"Of course I'm upset!" she exclaims, throwing her hands in the air. "You could have been hurt. Pranks like that aren't funny!" She turns away again, but he wraps his arms around her and lays his chin on her shoulder. "Forgive me?"

"Nope." She crosses her arms, and he moves to stand in front of her, his eyes growing wide, his mouth in a pouty position, and his palms against each other. He looks so cute it's all she can do to not give in.

"Pwease?" he begs, and finally she relents. How can you say no to a face like that?

"Only because you're cute," she says, walking down the beach.

He jogs to catch up to her. "You think I'm cute?"

"Like a baby," she replies, and he sighs in exasperation. Really, though, she's thinking more along the lines of cute like a puppy, or like a baby seal. But of course she's not telling him that. She can't.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Chapter 13

"It's getting kinda late," Percy says, checking the time on his phone. "You wanna stay for dinner?"

Annabeth thinks for a minute. "Would Hazel mind? Would she get worried?"

"Not if we tell her," he suggests, and Annabeth shrugs. Why not? She'd had a really fun day already, and nothing terrible could happen within a few more hours.

Percy gets visibly excited, and he claps his hands together. "Great! I'm not really good at the whole baking thing, but my dad has grown used to doing that kind of stuff. This will be great opportunity for you to meet him."

"Will he like me?" Annabeth asks. "I'm not exactly the swimmer or water type."

"Do you think that really matters? My mother lives in the middle of New York city and only went to the beach a couple times a summer when they first met. Don't worry. He'll love ya." He grins, his bright green eyes flashing, and she feels reassured. If the dad is anything like his son, Annabeth will be in good company.

They walk for a time along the beach, Percy pointed out his favorite spots and different landmarks. As they near the shack, Annabeth spots a poorly trimmed hedge. "What happened to that poor bush?"

Percy's face turns red. "Uh...someone may have tried to do hedge art with a chainsaw. And that someone may have failed epically."

Annabeth looks over at him, a smile dancing on her lips. "Is that someone perhaps a boy with black hair and sea green eyes?"

"Maybe." She laughs, and after a moment he does, too.

"If you close one eye and tilt your head, it kinda looks like Flounder from the Little Mermaid," she suggests, and he rolls his eyes.

"That someone would like to eat now and stop looking at his personal failures," Percy responds, and Annabeth smirks.

"Ok. So lead the way, da Vinci." He pushes past some short trees and bushes and the little shack becomes visible, a small, untrimmed yard encircling the property. There's a fire pit in the middle with a lit fire. As they watch, a man in his forties pushes through the crooked door of the shack, carrying a tray of some meat. He looks up and sees them.

"You didn't tell me you were bringing company," he says to Percy, and I know instantly that it is his dad. Percy is a spitting image of him, from his black, wavy hair and his green eyes. The man has a strange accent and tan, weathered skin. There are smile lines at the corners of his eyes. He's wearing khaki shorts and one of those Hawaiian shirts. His feet are bare and tread quietly across the worn down porch towards us.

"This is Annabeth," Percy says. "She's my new friend. I met her at that secluded beach."

"Can't imagine what such a beautiful girl is doing hanging around you," he teases, and Percy crosses his arms defensively.

"I'll have you know - "

Annabeth interrupts by by stepping forward and offering her hand to the fisherman. "It's nice to meet you," she tells him. "Percy hasn't told me very much about you."

"Call me Poseidon," the man instructs, shaking her hand. He looks over her shoulder at Percy. "See? She's a goddess compared to you."

"You only say that because she's the only who will talk to you besides me. Once she gets to know you she might not come back," Percy answers, giving it right back to his dad.

"I might not come back to _you_ ," Annabeth tells Percy. "He's the cool one, as far as I'm concerned." It's all in a light, teasing manner, but Percy grumps about it anyway. Poseidon shows Annabeth how to smoke the fish - that's what the mystery meat turned out to be - and she helped him prepare dinner while Percy sulked around. When the dinner neared ready, Percy dropped the attitude and joined them again. They sit around the fire on broken beach chairs Poseidon had dragged out of a storage building by the shack and enjoy the small and simple but tasty dinner.

It is dark not long after they finish eating, and Annabeth says goodbye to Poseidon as she and Percy head out. Instead of going straight back to Hazel's, though, they sit on the beach. The sand is cool but not cold, and they watch the moon and stars rise in the sky as they listen to the sound of the waves pounding into the shore ten feet in front of them.

"I never fully appreciated the natural beauty of this place," Annabeth comments. "The way the stars reflect into the ocean and the way the moon gives out a light much softer and prettier than the sun...and there's no way to enjoy it more than with the company of a good friend." She leans her back against his shoulder.

"Are you sure that's all we are?" he asks.

"This is just all so fast," she admits. "And I'm still so insecure about what happened last time I was in a relationship. I'm not saying you're anything like him - because you aren't - but there are so many other things to factor in."

"You sound like you're trying to science this all out," Percy says. "I'm not good with those kind of things. I'm a surfer. When I sense a wave, I go for it. Maybe it's a big wave, maybe it's a tiny one, and maybe it's a tsunami. I just go for it and enjoy the ride while it lasts. I think you think too much. Maybe you should just tackle whatever waves come your way."

"But a good wave will always end eventually, like you said. I want to build something that will last." Annabeth curves her neck to she's looking at him. He's watching the ocean and kneaded his hands in the sand in front of him. Finally he looks over at her.

"Maybe the waves only last for a short period, but the oceans where they come from have been around since time began and will be around long after we're gone. If you wait forever for a wave that will last for eternity then you're only going to be disappointed. They don't exist."

"Are you saying that what I'm looking for doesn't exist?"

He shrugs, and continues to stare past her at the restless ocean. "Maybe what you're looking for isn't what you really want or need."

"You sound like some kind of oracle or palm reader," Annabeth says to lighten up the mood.

"If I knew that kind of stuff I'd know how to make you fall in love with me," he replies, the seriousness gone. She rolls her eyes and stands up, pulling him along with her.

"I think I should head back. My bed is my only true love." He leads the way as they go back to Hazel's house. The girl is already asleep, so Annabeth makes sure to be extra quiet and she bids Percy goodbye. She washes her face and hands and puts on her pajamas before snuggling under the covers of the huge bed. Seaweed Brain's words keep replaying in her mind. She can't stop thinking about him. This is worse than with her last boyfriend...

The one thing she can't stop thinking about is his last - teasing, but probably still true - sentence: _If I knew that kind of stuff I'd know how to make you fall in love with me._ Annabeth worries he already has made her fall - in what way, though, is still a mystery.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns all the rights to _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ and _Heroes of Olympus._ I am simply creating a work for enjoyment, and no copyright infringements are meant.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait! This is more of a side story for me, but hopefully now that school is over I can update more often. Thanks for your patience!

 **Chapter 14**

The next day Annabeth returns to the beach. It's a good day for surfing, as evidenced by the waves, and she watches Percy tackle wave after wave. His words from the night before still rings in her ears.

Was he right about her looking for something that doesn't exist? Should she just catch the wave and go with it?

She can't hold back forever. She can't let one bad boyfriend ruin her life forever.

And Percy is the complete opposite of him. Percy doesn't have the same problems he had. Percy is everything he had not been.

She decides she's going to tell him. She had never told anyone the full story. She couldn't bring herself to tell it all. Her parents know most of it, and telling them had been her biggest mistake. They way they treat her now, like she's delicate and she's a broken glass and any boy coming along is going to shatter her.

She's not, though. She went through a tough time, but she's stronger because of it. Wary and cautious, but just as strong. She never let her grades fall, she never let out all her pain and she dealt with it.

That's the beauty of humans. They adapt, no matter what they've been through.

A few drops of rain surprise her and take her from her thoughts. She looks up, only to have a fat droplet splash right in her eye.

The sea begins to produce higher and darker waves. Instead of continuing to surf Percy comes back in, board tucked under his arm and his strides long.

The wind picks up and starts whipping her hair around. The air drops in temperature. By the time Percy reaches her, she's wet and cold.

"What's going on?" she asks, scared at the look in his eyes.

He grabs her arm. "It's a hurricane, and it's coming in fast."

"How do you know?" she demands as he pulls her across the beach and towards the cliffs.

He shakes his head. "I just can tell. Call it a gut feeling or whatever, but I just know. Now c'mon, before we get caught in the middle of it."

"Where are we going?"

"My cave. It's the safest place for fifty miles, unless you have an underground bunker." He glances at her. "Do you?"

"The cave it is," she replies, and they keep running across the beach. The winds continue to pick up, and Annabeth trips on a piece of driftwood lying on the ground. She goes sprawling, sand spraying up from where she lands.

Percy drops his surfboard and pulls her to her feet and they continue on. She spits sand out of her mouth as they run.

"The cliffs are slippery," he warns. "You should go up first."

She starts scaling the wall, quickly but carefully. Just as she reaches for the ledge one of the rocks her leg in balancing on gives out and crumbles. She quickly grabs the ledge, holding on by her fingers and one leg. Her arm shakes from the strain, and as her leg swings around the slippery handhold finally defeats her grip. She starts falling, her strength giving out.

A shriek escapes her mouth as she free falls. Her fall is cut short by her arm being wrenched to a stop, her shoulder screaming in pain. When she looks up, she sees Percy clinging tightly to the cliff face with one hand, the other holding her. He looks pained, as if the strain is too much.

But then he pulls hard, and she comes closer to the cliff face. She finds a sturdy hold and clings to the wall. Percy's hand remains on her back, keeping her safe and close. Although the rain is soaking them and the winds are blowing around them, for a moment they are in their own world.

Just Percy and Annabeth.

"Are you okay?" he asks, breaking the silence between them.

"Yeah," she replies. "Thanks to you."

He nods. "Let's get up where it's safe."

The rest of the climb goes well, and they quickly maneuver through the rocks to Percy's little safe alcove. The hole in the ceiling showers rain into the little river, but around it is dry. Percy heads into another smaller chamber and brings out dry driftwood. He lights a small fire and they dry off with extra towels.

Annabeth changes from her swimsuit into her T-shirt and shorts and Percy brings her over a blanket. She wraps herself up in it and snuggles up to the fire. Percy sits next to her, leaning against the cave wall.

Outside, the storm rages, but inside here, they're safe, at least for the moment.

"You saved my life," she says, turning to Percy. "I can't thank you enough."

He smiles down at her. "Consider it payment for helping my dog."

Annabeth looks away and back at the fire. "I've decided to give you a chance." She pauses for a long moment. "But I have to tell you about my last boyfriend. About why I have trust issues and I'm afraid of a relationship."

"I'm listening." Percy's eyes are deep and understanding. Annabeth breathes deeply.

"His name was Luke. He was a couple of years older than me..."

* * *

When she sees him for the first time, she knows she had a crush on him. Ruffled blond hair, athlete's body, and a mysterious scar down his cheek. Blue eyes like a clear sky. Plaid shirt rolled up to the elbows and casual skinny jeans.

He is perfect.

Of course it is hopeless. He's a senior and she a sophomore. He's attractive and cool and she is just a shy nerd girl. Why would he possibly even think of her?

But for some reason when he catches her looking at him, he smiles that heart-stopping grin. And then, in case that isn't enough, he excuses himself from his friends and starts walking towards her.

Oh crap. What does she do? She has always imagined this moment in her mind, but now that it's happening she can't move. She's frozen.

"Who are you?" he asks. "I haven't seen you around before."

"I'm - I'm Annabeth," she stutters, and, brilliant, stupid girl she is, drops her textbooks. She tries to catch them as they fall, only to smash her fingers and look even more ridiculous.

He leans down to pick them up while she curses herself mentally. When he hands them back she grips them tightly. "Thanks."

"No prob. I'm Luke." He starts reaching his hand out and then takes it back. "Well, I'd shake your hand if I didn't think you'd drop your books again."

She smiles tightly, knowing she just ruined her chances with him. But instead of leaving her he follows as she walks to her locker. And Annabeth can't think of a single thing to say.

"Why I haven't seen you before?" he asks, saving her from awkward silence.

"I switched schools. I used to go to the one at Waltersville. It's about twenty minutes away from here." She shoves her books in her locker, closes it, and crosses her arms. "What about you?"

Luke laughs. "Me? I've been here forever. Next year I'm out of here, though."

Annabeth wants to scream at the irony. The first guy who shows interest in her is about to leave in a couple of months. Fantastic. "What if you found a reason to stay?" she hears herself ask.

He looks at her with those stunning blue eyes. "Then I guess I wouldn't be so eager to leave."

And every day after they hang out. It starts with just talking. Soon they become the best of friends. Annabeth doesn't know a time when he's not at her side. No one makes her laugh like he does.

But the year is going by fast. And Annabeth isn't sure she's enough of a reason to keep him near. Although they are best friends, there is still too much he's keeping from her. She never confronts him about it, but she sees it in all the looks he doesn't think she notices.

One day they're at a party. It's not a completely wild one - Annabeth would never even think of going to one of those - but there is still alcohol and lots of high schoolers. Luke himself has a red solo cup filled with an awful smelling liquid in it. His eyes are fixed on the bonfire in front of them. Annabeth is sitting next to him, but she can't get his attention.

"Luke? What's wrong?" He isn't responding. Just staring straight ahead, the flames reflecting in his eyes. She grabs his hands. "Look at me."

He finally acknowledges her, turning his head in her direction. "What?"

"What's wrong?"

He shrugs. "It doesn't matter." He sets his drink off to the side and stares down at his hands in lap.

Annabeth feels hurt like she has never felt hurt. Tears sting in her eyes. "Why won't you just let me in? You can tell me what's wrong!"

He shakes his head. "I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone."

Annabeth stands suddenly. Luke frowns and grabs her arm. "What are you doing?"

She frees herself from his grip. "I need some space, okay?"

Luke sighs and follows her. "What do you want me to tell you? About my horrible father? About how he was never there for me?"

Annabeth whirls around. "Is that what's upsetting you so much?"

His silence is answer enough.

"Can you just - can you just take me home? I'm tired."

The next day Luke asks her out on their first official date. Annabeth is so happy she forgets her anger at him. She dresses up in a light pink dress and heels, and she styles her hair. It turns out to be one of the best nights of her life. Luke stays happy the entire time, and as start going out more regularly she forgets how unhappy he once was.

It's all behind them.

For the last three months of the school year they dated steadily. One day, not long after school released, her parents go out to eat. She also has a date with Luke that night, but he comes later. By the time Annabeth opens the door he's shaking on his feet and his eyes are bleary.

"Luke?" she asks, concern in her voice. "What's wrong?" A strong scent reaches her nose and she steps backward. "Were you drinking?"

He stumbles past her into the house. She closes the door and turns to him, again noticing how much he's shaking and how hard he's breathing.

"He came," Luke spits out. "He had the nerve to come back."

"Who?" Annabeth goes to him, holding his hands in hers.

"My father." Luke turns away, snatching his hands from her. His fists are clenched so hard his knuckles are showing white. "He came back. She was almost healed. My mother had almost recovered from what he had done to us. From his abandonment. And now he comes back and she falls apart and she just accepts him, after what he did - "

Luke punches the wall. Annabeth sees the blood on his hands, but when she reaches for them, his arms flies out. She stumbles, a cry caught in her throat. He sees her on the floor and and his crosses his arms over his head in frustration. "I'm so sorry, Annabeth."

He leans down to help her up, but Annabeth shies away. Her face still hurts where he hit her. He's drunk and she doesn't trust him. Not now.

"I just don't know what to do!" he cries. "I hate him and I hate my mother for letting him back in and I hate myself for not sticking up to him."

Annabeth hesitantly stands. "Why are you telling me this now? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Luke turns back to her, rage on his face. "I couldn't! God, you're so..." he shakes his head. "You how much courage I had to muster to tell you this?"

"You mean how much you had to drink?"

Luke reaches forward and grabs her shoulders, shaking her roughly. "Why are you being like this? I trusted you enough to tell you and this is how you pay me back?"

He shoves her away angrily. This time Annabeth stays on the ground. She's crying, but she doesn't know what to say.

There isn't anything to say.

"Luke, you need help," she finally manages.

"That's it?" he asks, his face crumbling and his voice breaking. "That's it? I need help?"

"It's true." Annabeth takes a deep breath. "And...I think we're done."

Luke stares at her for a long moment before walking out, slamming the door behind him.

She doesn't see him again.

Annabeth is the one shaking now. Crying and shaking and wondering what happened to the boy she loves.

Loved.

She finally picks herself up and stumbles into the bathroom. In the mirror she can already see the bruises on her jaw forming.

They're nothing compared to the bruises on her heart.

* * *

Even a year later, Annabeth still finds herself crying while trying to retell the story. Percy is a good listening, and he never interrupts, just grabs her hand and lets her take a moment.

"What happened after?" he gently asks.

Annabeth swallows. "I didn't press charges. That night...that wasn't Luke. The boy I loved would never do that. He was suffering enough as it was. He just needed to leave the town, to leave his past behind. I was stupid to try and keep him here. It was selfish. He made me happy, and I just regret I couldn't do the same for him."

"You made the right choice." Percy wraps his arm around her shoulders.

In the quiet, she can hear that the worst of the storm has passed and all that's left is a heavy rain. The showers splink into the river in the center of the room through the hole in the ceiling. The fire is dying down to just embers, but it isn't cold.

"Can we just stay here for a while?" she asks, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Let's just wait out the storm here."

Percy smiles at her. "I wouldn't imagine anything else."


End file.
